The Indians - looking to level the series - could manage only three wickets on day three as the home team finished on 322 for three, 204 runs adrift of the tourists.

Resuming on 62 without loss, Australia openers Hayden and Phil Jaques batted through the opening session to reach 158 without loss at lunch.

The pair shared an opening partnership of 159 before Anil Kumble finally made the first breakthrough in the second over after lunch.

With Jaques on 60, the India captain produced an outstanding delivery that kept low and pitched outside off-stump before turning sharply on to the stumps as the left-hander attempted a sweep.

It was an important wicket for an Indian attack missing RP Singh with a hamstring injury. The paceman suffered the setback on Friday evening after bowling four overs early in the Australia first innings.

Hayden's big moment arrived with a quick single off Harbhajan Singh. He raised his arms in celebration after moving ahead of Sir Donald Bradman and Jacques Kallis to sixth place on the list of players with the most Test centuries.

However Hayden, 36, added only three more runs to his total before he was finally removed by a brilliant ball from Ishant Sharma which swung back in to trap the opener between bat and pad.

Hayden's dismissal left Australia on 186 for two, still 340 runs behind India's first-innings total, but captain Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey batted through the rest of the afternoon session to take the home side safely through to tea.

Hussey was the only casualty after tea, bowled between bat and pad by Irfan Pathan for 22.

Captain Ponting had reached 79 not out at stumps - his 73rd Test half-century - with Michael Clarke unbeaten on 37 at the other end.